This invention relates to an incinerator for chemical waste material stored in barrels. In many factories and enterprises within the chemical field it is very difficult and expensive to dispose of the chemical waste material resulting from the operation in a manner harmless to the environment, even where the waste in question is in itself suitable for complete combustion without giving rise to air pollution. More particularly, the waste material in question is such which arises from various forms of chemical activities and is stored in barrels, generally of a size of 200 l. The waste material is frequently not pumpable, but has a high viscous or tough consistency or is in a solid state. The chemical waste may, however, also be in entirely liquid form. The taking-out of such waste material from the barrels prior to disposal may involve considerable environmental risks for the persons who handle the waste.
Illustrative of waste which can be incinerated by the present invention is waste resulting from the production of lacquer and varnish. Examples of such waste are phenol lacquer comprising phenol, formaldehyde, cresol, xylene, i-butanol, methanol or peramine lacquer (composed of formaldehyde, urea, ethanol, i-butanol) or melamine lacquer (comprising formaldehyde, melamine, water) or epoxy lacquer (comprising epoxy resin, methanol, methyloxitol, acetone, tetrabromobisphenol A, dimethylformamide). Besides, a number of solvents occur in connection with these types of waste.
Incinerators for chemical waste material are known which comprise a primary combustion chamber with an outlet connected to a secondary combustion chamber, in which the combustion of gases and flying particles from the primary combustion chamber is completed. An example of such an incinerator is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,667.
It is the object of the invention to construct the primary combustion chamber and associated equipment of an incinerator of the kind referred to in such a manner that it is capable of receiving the chemical waste material in the barrels, in which it is stored and to effect incineration under optimum conditions irrespectively of the consistency of the waste material within the full range from liquid to solid.